At this point, it looks like the Toronto Raptors are going to have to take the play-in route to reach the 2023 postseason, but this afternoon’s visit to the Charlotte Hornets at least represents a chance to put pressure on the teams above them.
The Raptors start the day as the No. 9 seed after seeing their three-game winning run snapped on Friday night in a 117-110 loss to the 76ers, and they’re also dealing with mounting speculation about Nick Nurse’s future in Toronto beyond this season.
As much as the Hornets’ injury list hints at a lopsided scoreline here, the hosts have stunned the Mavericks twice this month and are getting solid returns from youthful line-ups – even if a 121-91 loss to the Bulls on Friday highlighted the talent gap.
For a closer look at today’s matchup, check out our free Raptors vs. Hornets NBA picks and predictions.
Raptors vs Hornets best odds
Raptors vs Hornets picks and predictions
Scottie Barnes had huge expectations on his shoulders heading into his sophomore year – and by most assessments, his season has fallen short. However, anyone paying attention will have noted Barnes being more assertive and impactful down the stretch.
While that may have come too late to bump the Toronto Raptors up the standings, it could be a major factor if Toronto survives the play-in tournament – and I see Barnes having another big game here against a Charlotte Hornets team ill-equipped to limit his playmaking and scoring.
Barnes did his part to help the Raptors claw their way back into the game in Philadelphia on Friday night, scoring 29 points to go with nine rebounds and eight assists, and his numbers jumped off the screen in a key win over the Heat earlier in the week too (22 points and 12 dimes).
Despite a nagging wrist injury, those last two performances came against two of the more physical teams in the league, and Barnes also feasted against Charlotte in the most recent meeting back in January, finishing with 21 points and nine assists in a comfortable Toronto win.
A big summer lies ahead for the Raptors, with some kind of major change starting to feel inevitable, but there’s still time to flip the script for a team that believes it can make some noise in the playoffs if they get there.
Barnes is a key piece of that puzzle and I’m taking the Over on his points + assists prop for today’s contest.
My best bet: Scottie Barnes Over 21.5 points + assists (-125)
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Raptors vs Hornets spread analysis
This is the first of two games for the Raptors in Charlotte before wrapping up the regular season against the Celtics and Bucks – so Toronto’s best hope of making inroads in the race for the No. 7 or No. 8 seed is to cash in here against a Hornets team sitting at 26-52 this season.
The Raptors were always a lock to be a double-digit favorite given their solid form over the past month coupled with the hosts’ priorities shifting to the upcoming draft lottery.
With O.G. Anunoby shooting well and Pascal Siakam likely to bounce back from a quiet night against Philly, I expected the line to be higher than 12.5, despite the visitors’ 12-25 road mark this season.
Though Toronto has failed to cover the spread in its last five road games against teams with a losing home record, I still have faith in laying the points against such a banged-up, inexperienced Charlotte team. The Raptors have won four of the past five meetings (4-1 ATS over those matchups) and they’re 4-0-1 ATS in their last five games on one day’s rest.
Raptors vs Hornets Over/Under analysis
The Raptors’ limitations were laid bare in Philadelphia on Friday, particularly in a disastrous second quarter where they gave up 46 points, but this Charlotte team is no threat to deliver the same kind of offensive fireworks.
The Under is 6-1 in the Hornets’ last seven games after an ATS loss, and they struggled to score consistently in Friday’s loss to the Bulls.
It’s not as if the Toronto offense is firing on all cylinders either – the visitors have only reached the 115-point mark in one of their last six games and it’s reasonable to wonder about the impact of the untimely rumors linking Nurse with the Houston Rockets this summer.
Much depends on how many of the Hornets listed as questionable on the injury report end up playing – but keep in mind that Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier, Dennis Smith Jr., and Kelly Oubre Jr. all sat out against Chicago, while P.J. Washington limped off in that contest.
Raptors vs Hornets betting trend to know
Charlotte has trended towards low-scoring games after blowouts like the Friday beatdown at the hands of the Bulls. The Under has hit in the Hornets’ last six games after a SU loss by 10 points or more. Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. Hornets.
Raptors vs Hornets game info
| Location: | Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC |
| Date: | Sunday, April 2, 2023 |
| Tip-off: | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | BSSE, Sportsnet |
Raptors vs Hornets key injuries
